I completed Marathon des Sables 120km edition – this gear got me through

A reliable watch is almost as important as good shoes in the Sahara. You need to know when you last drank, how far you are from the next checkpoint, and, for some runners, what pace you are managing across soft sand. Bad data leads to bad decisions. A watch that runs out of charge halfway through a stage is not just inconvenient, it can derail your timing or, even worse, ruin your Strava post.

The Garmin enduro 3 felt purpose-built for this event. During the four days of continuous GPS tracking, heart-rate monitoring and repeated checks under the sun, the battery barely dipped. Solar charging topped it up throughout the day, and the screen stayed clear even in glaring light. Metrics such as HR zones, recovery estimation, pace and ascent remained reliable. Even with thick sand, heat shimmer and sweat, the satellite lock never faltered. Plus, the velcro strap was grippy yet soft enough to avoid any chaffing.

The verdict: Outstanding. A watch you stop thinking about entirely, which is the highest praise in an ultra.

Victorinox’s tiny knife earned its place several times a day. It cut paracetamol foil, food packets, loose threads and tape, and took up virtually no space. When you are obsessed with saving weight, this is exactly the kind of tool that proves its worth without adding to the load.

The verdict: Compact, essential and faultless.

Comfortable, breathable and lighter than many of the common Marathon des Sables options, Ultimate Direction’s fastpack 20 sits high and carries weight well. It looks sleeker than the WAA pack used by most competitors, but it is also busier. The extra straps and toggles became fiddly after a few days, especially when tired. Still, it did not rub, pinch or collapse under weight.

The verdict: Stylish, light and generally reliable, but occasionally annoying.

The Sahara is not consistently hot. In the hour before sunrise, it is almost cold, and you spend those early moments preparing yourself mentally, boiling breakfast and packing your kit. A lightweight layer makes those rituals bearable and prevents you from losing warmth before the day has even begun.

The Arc’teryx norvan trail jacket was perfect for this. It’s wind-resistant without feeling clammy, breathable when you start moving and so small when packed that it is almost invisible in your bag. I wore it every morning. It kept the chill off, did not stick to sweat and never felt like extra weight I resented. When the sun rose and the temperature spiked, it packed away instantly.

The verdict: One of the best pieces of early-morning kit I took. Light, reliable and brilliantly designed.

Temperatures drop after sunset, and the Arc’teryx cerium was useful. It is warm without bulk, packs down small and survived being repeatedly stuffed into a dusty pack. Realistically, however, it’s probably more useful for events with greater wind and chill. Despite what some suggest online, you can probably risk doing the MDS without a midlayer if your outer layer is good enough. I’d absolutely take this on alpine adventures, but for high-temperature events, it’s a luxury rather than essential.

The verdict: Expensive, well-crafted, not an MDS essential.

Liquid calories are common on the MDS. Eating in 47C heat often feels impossible, and Huel black became both breakfast and occasional recovery. The macros are excellent and digestion is steady, even when appetite disappears. The downside is the water. Everything you drink is warm in the Sahara, which makes mixing Huel a psychological battle. It remained functional and predictable, which is what matters, but the taste drifted into the functional rather than enjoyable category after a few days.

The verdict: Reliable and effective, but not quite as satisfying as a chewable meal after a stage. A useful safety net.

Calories matter more than taste here, but taste still helps when you are exhausted and dehydrated. Expedition Foods became the unofficial morale booster in our bivouac. Lightweight, high in calories and easy to prepare, they offered genuine comfort after long stages.

The Thai green chicken curry after the marathon stage was a highlight of the entire week. Even the simpler options did what they were meant to do: provide dense, digestible calories without upsetting the stomach. They packed down well and rehydrated quickly, even with warm water.

The verdict: My most effective food item. I should have taken more.

Designed with ultra-endurance events in mind, the Vallon heron sunglasses strike an ideal balance between comfort, coverage and clarity. The wraparound frame stayed secure across hours of dunes and rocky terrain, while the anti-fog lenses handled sweat and temperature shifts impressively.

Crucially, the Category 4 tint provided essential protection in the Sahara sun – dark enough for harsh glare, but still sharp through dawn and dusk. A strong contender for MDS runners wanting performance without the bulk.

The verdict: Light, secure and effective in desert glare.

Electrolytes are not optional on the MDS. I packed one sachet per alternate checkpoint, which was a mistake. In 47C heat, you need one per checkpoint at a minimum. Without salts, you simply cannot absorb water properly, and you end up feeling like a sloshing canteen. The watermelon flavour was the easiest to drink and a welcome break from the taste of warm water.

The verdict: Vital. Pack more than you think you need.

Night temperatures are not freezing but can be sharp, especially when your body is under stress. The Big Agnes sleeping bag provided proper warmth and comfort, which made it easy to recover overnight. The material is soft, the insulation reliable and it handled sand, sweat and condensation well. The trade-off is weight. For general camping, I would recommend it without hesitation. For the MDS, you could go lighter and free up valuable grams.

The verdict: Excellent quality sleeping bag, but heavier than necessary for this race.

Exped flexmat M sleeping mat is better than nothing, but only just. It kept me off the ground and added a tiny layer of cushioning, which was enough to sleep. You feel every ridge and contour under you, but it held up, packed quickly, never tore and meant I didn’t have to worry about a blow-up mattress getting a puncture.

The verdict: Serviceable but spartan. Do not expect comfort.

The Adizero vest (£34, Adidas.co.uk) and long-sleeve (£60, Adidas.co.uk) were two of the most valuable apparel items I brought. They wick sweat, dry quickly and feel featherlight under a pack. The shorts performed well, too, although the material around the drawstring began to tear faster than expected.

The Adidas terrex soulstride flow trail running shoes I wore were reliable and bouncy without losing oomph. Relatively inexpensive, I’d read that the soft sand and relatively slow pace of the race meant costly trainers for technical terrain weren’t essential. That proved correct. Barring the final day running on hard-baked earth, the sand was forgiving and the temperatures meant running at pace for long periods was off the cards (for me at least...)

The verdict: Excellent kit with a small durability concern.

The MDS desert gaiters are robust, but absolutely get them stitched on by a cobbler before travelling. Trying to do it in Morocco will have you hunting for needles, thread, or, at one point, a staple gun (as some fellow races found themselves doing). Or worse, dumping sand out of your trainers every hundred metres or so.

The verdict: Essential kit, but prepare them properly.